CHARLES’ LAW (Jacques Charles, 1746-1823)

“At constant pressure, the volume of a fixed quantity of gas is directly proportional to the absolute
temperature (NOT the temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius, it must be in Kelvin!)”.

This means that if the pressure on the gas remains constant, the volume increases as the
temperature of the gas increases, and the volume decreases when the temperature decreases.
Mathematically, the law may be expressed as

V1 = V2

T1 T2

Practical Application of Charles’ Law

A balloon that has been inflated inside a cool building expands when it is carried to a warmer area
like the outdoors. This is why we often see balloons just bursting even when no one is near it.